TEMECULA — Hazardous materials experts were called to a restaurant Saturday night, for the second consecutive night, after an unusual odor was detected.

The Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said that in Saturday’s incident at the Shogun restaurant at 41501 Margarita Road, patrons and staff evacuated and two people were evaluated by medical personnel. Those evaluated declined transport to a hospital.

The Corona Fire Department’s hazardous materials unit was working at the scene while county health officials worked to locate, isolate and identify whatever substance was causing the odor.

On Friday night, two people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries after a similar incident in which they became ill at the restaurant and a hazardous materials team responded.

Original air readings, after the restaurant was evacuated Friday, by Riverside County’s HazMat Emergency Response Team showed high carbon monoxide levels by the dishwashing area, said Dottie Merki, the public information officer and program chief for the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.

“The source was never found and subsequent testing about an hour later showed normal levels,” Merki said Saturday, referring to the Friday night incident.

Prior to Saturday night’s incident, Merki said that the restaurant called in a refrigeration company to check those systems and no leaks were detected. Prior to Saturday night, the Environmental Health HazMat team checked out the water heater and other areas and found nothing unusual, she said.

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